109:2-7-03
Minimum standards for certification of law enforcement canine units.

(A)
Pursuant to
division (A)(10) of section
109.73 of the Revised Code, the
commission has established minimum standards for the certification of law
enforcement canine units, which include the successful completion of an
examination for certification. In order to be eligible for the required
certification examination the canine unit must meet the listed requirements.

(1)
The unit must have successfully completed
a training program approved by the executive director designed to prepare
canine units to perform law enforcement duties. Such program must include
training in those areas tested in the examination for certification,

(2)
Documentation of successful completion of
the training program must be provided to the evaluator before the unit is
eligible to be tested for certification. Such documentation shall include

A notarized letter or certificate of completion from the
trainer or other official representative of the training program attesting that
the unit has been trained in all the areas which are listed in paragraph (B)(4)
of this rule, and that the unit successfully met the standards of the program.

(3)
The executive director
may, upon request from a law enforcement agency which employs a patrol-related
canine unit, consider comparable training of the canine and the handler. Such a
request shall be accompanied by documentation of the training received by both
the canine and the handler which must be sufficient in the aggregate to meet or
exceed the minimum standards required by paragraph (B)(4) of this rule.
Approval of the request shall be granted in writing and shall apply only to the
unit for whom the request was filed. Should the executive director deny the
request, he shall comply with the provisions of rule
109:2-7-06 of the
Administrative Code.

(4)
Those
units which meet the minimum eligibility requirements shall be eligible to
complete the examination for certification of patrol-related canine units. The
certification examination shall include testing in the following areas:

(1)
The unit must have
successfully completed a training program approved by the executive director
designed to prepare canine units to perform special purpose law enforcement
duties. Such program must include training in one or more of the areas which
are tested in the examination for certification, as listed in rule
109:2-7-02(B)(3)
of the Administrative Code.

(2)
Documentation of successful completion of
the training program must be provided to the evaluator before the unit is
eligible to be tested for certification. Such documentation shall include

A notarized letter or certificate of completion from the
trainer or other official representative of the training program attesting that
the unit has been trained in one or more of the areas which are listed in rule
109:2-7-03(B)(3) of the Administrative Code and that the unit successfully met
the standards of the program.

(3)
The executive director may, upon request
from a law enforcement agency which employs a special purpose canine unit,
consider comparable training of the canine and the handler. Such a request
shall be accompanied by documentation of the training received by both the
canine and the handler which must be sufficient in the aggregate to meet or
exceed the minimum standards required by paragraph (C) (4) of this rule.
Approval of the request shall be granted in writing and shall apply only to the
unit for whom the request was filed. Should the executive director deny the
request, he shall comply with the provisions of rule
109:2-7-06 of the
Administrative Code.

(4)
Those
units which meet the minimum eligibility requirements shall be eligible to
complete the certification examination for special purpose canine units.
Certification can be granted for one or more of the following special purposeS: